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Reds snap Cubs' win streak at 7

Aug 7, 2011 - 11:25 PM Chicago, IL (Sports Network) - Ryan Hanigan capped a back-and-forth affair with an eighth-inning RBI single, as the Cincinnati Reds narrowly avoided a three-game sweep with an 8-7 victory over the Chicago Cubs.

Todd Frazier had a game-tying double earlier in the eighth and finished 2- for-4 with a home run and three RBI. Edgar Renteria added a two-run homer and Drew Stubbs had a solo shot.

Nick Masset (2-5) recorded the final out of the seventh to earn the win, while Francisco Cordero threw a perfect ninth to notch his 20th save of the season.

Marlon Byrd went 3-for-3 with two RBI, while Blake DeWitt hit a two-run homer and Starlin Castro hit a solo blast for the Cubs, who saw their season-high seven-game win streak came to an end.

"That's the beautiful thing about baseball," said Byrd. "You try to ride streaks and we rode it for seven games. Hopefully we can start another one."

Sean Marshall (5-5) surrendered the tying and go-ahead runs in the eighth to suffer the loss.

Stubbs spotted the Reds an early lead with a two-out homer in the second.

The Cubs left the bases loaded in the home half, but grabbed the lead in the third. Castro led off with a home run. Later in the frame, Carlos Pena drew a two-out walk. Byrd followed with a lazy fly to shallow center. Stubbs charged but lost the ball in the sun and Pena hustled home from first.

The lead was short-lived, however, as Jay Bruce began the fourth with a single and Frazier followed with a homer to left. Stubbs atoned for his gaffe, reaching with a single, stealing second, advancing to third on a groundout and scoring on a wild pitch.

Renteria made it a 6-2 game with a two-run blast in the fifth. Dave Sappelt preceded the homer with his first major league hit.

DeWitt responded with a two-run shot in the sixth and the Cubs vaulted atop the see-saw with a three-run seventh.

Logan Ondrusek spelled Bronson Arroyo and hit Reed Johnson to begin the inning. Castro's single placed runners at the corners and Tony Campana's base hit pushed Johnson across. With two down, Byrd plated Castro with a ground- rule double into the ivy in left. Later in the frame, Aramis Ramirez scored on a Masset wild pitch.

Again, the advantage proved fleeting. Marshall relieved Randy Wells to begin the eighth and induced leadoff batter Joey Votto into a fly ball to shallow center. Byrd called off Castro but lost his footing, allowing the ball to fall in and Votto to reach second.

Frazier followed two batters later with a game-tying double and, after a Stubbs' walk, Hanigan plated the winning run with a base hit to right.

"Those guys battled back and we battled back again," said Arroyo. "It was definitely a good ball game."

Game Notes

The Cubs' seven-game win streak was their longest since August 23-29, 2008...Wells allowed six runs on eight hits over seven innings, while Arroyo gave up four runs on five hits over six frames...Sappelt was recalled from Triple-A Louisville prior to the game to fill the roster spot of Chris Heisey, who was placed on the 15-day DL with a left oblique strain...Reds second baseman Brandon Phillips is listed as day-to-day after spraining his right ankle in a fourth-inning collision on Saturday.